The Five Great Philosophies of the Apsara people

Vathriagnishesham (Seeing-with-Two-Eyes-Closed Philosophy)

Apsara are often obsessed with the cycles that govern their lives, and none moreso than the Vathriagnishesham. Those who subscribe to the Seeing-with-Two-Eyes-Closed view of the world see Undersea as a complex tapestry of cause and effect that can only be seen through quiet meditative practice. In many ways, this is the closest the Apsara come to a truly ascetic lifestyle, as the Vathriagnishesham largely withdraw from the world in order that they see it more clearly. Devotees of this belief system have all the trappings of ordinary Apsara; they possess spirit retinues, they live in opalescent palaces, and they never sully themselves with a humble day’s work. However, they also largely withdraw from civic life. They usually abstain from public gatherings, such as in matters of legal arbitration, public debates, or any sort of celebration. This proclivity sets the Seeingwith- Two-Eyes-Closed school of thought into conflict with the Ashwar-Nara school of thought, who preach that Apsara are justified primarily through participation in public matters. They frequently dress in austere blue robes, denoting their sobriety. Many Vathriagnishesham are members of the Ghandarva, but the designation of both is largely up to the claims of the individual. Vathriagnishesham who have devoted themselves to their meditations for long periods of time begin to resemble spirits as their soul strains towards the currents emanating from Vathriagni. It is said that with sufficient unity with the great whirlpool allows one to become immaterial in the manner of spirits or to reincarnate and retain one’s memory.

Jithramurti (In-Pursuit-of-Excellence Philosophy)

Withdrawn meditation on abstraction is not fit for everyone. The Jithramurti school of thought is the most worldly of philosophies, focusing as it does upon personal excellence and enrichment. It focuses primarily on the physical world and does not concern itself with far-off enlightenments that are imperceptible to their fellow citizens. It is, in many ways, quite selfish in that it rejects the idea of service to the community (Pillars-Made-of-Eddies) and ascetic enlightenment (Seeing-with-Two-Eyes-Closed). However, unlike The-Opalescent-Trident, which focuses only on personal pleasure, the Jithramurti philosophy often requires hardships in order to temper the soul into a vessel of perfection. The goal of this philosophy is to achieve the greatest heights of personal excellence. In doing so, Jithramurti believe they arm themselves with this perfection in all future incarnations. That is to say, that in their next life, they will possess some of their current greatness. This philosophy blends best with the Urvashim School, who consistently test their mettle against others in order to perfect their own skill in battle. However, this philosophy is in no way limited to the art of war; indeed, it most often manifests as aggressive participation in economic affairs. The Jithramurti wish not only to be the best in their chosen field, but to present an image of true Apsara glory. For an Apsara In- Pursuit-of-Excellence to appear slovenly, or worse, be forced to labor, is an unacceptable indignity.

Ashwar-Nara (Pillars-Made-of-Eddies Philosophy)

Apsara are said to possess, at their core, a compassion for their fellow traveler in the currents of Vathriagni and his endlessly circling Nara. The Ashwar-Nara philosophy is a way of life devoted to civic service and spirit diplomacy. Devotees of this school think of themselves as “Pillars-Made-of-Eddies” because they are the Apsara responsible for negotiating with those spirits of the deep who preserve each city’s Nara. Through their action, the spirits are propitiated and civilization is sustained. Ashwar-Nara spend their time engaging in social matters at all times and reject the decadence of The-Opalescent-Trident and the navel-gazing of the Seeing-with-Two-Eyes-Closed philosophy. These are the Apsara who build temples to attract the presence of newly born spirits. When a matter needs the local community to make a decision, it is the Ashwar-Nara who lead the way and organize gatherings for that purpose. They see this as a sacred duty and tradition passed down from the days when all Apsara dwelt in a single glorious city. Oddly, within Ashwar-Nara there is an ideological split: mainstream Pillars-Made-of-Eddies philosophy views Apsara civilization as a single society coming together to support one another. However, there is also a very nationalistic bent to a number of Ashwar-Nara’s devotees who believe that their city is supreme above all others. Even those who follow this belief are, at their core, diplomats and thus they would not disparage foreigners in a public manner.

Tandagam (The-Opalescent-Trident)

Apsara morality, to be blunt, is very slow to condemn. Moral outrage at another’s lifestyle is all but unknown. Thus, Tandagam, The-Opalescent-Trident sensation-seekers, are free to pursue their personal satisfaction without societal constraint. The Trident is a metaphor for the Apsara’s three senses: sight, touch/hearing, and smell/taste. These are, to the Tandagam, the most important aspects of life in Undersea. According to Tandagam morality, pleasure is the highest of virtues, worthy of any sacrifice to attain. They regard pain as a hideous vice, morally wrong to experience or cause in others. The-Opalescent-Trident place little value on enlightenment, public service, or personal exaltation. Yet, despite the obvious decadence of this way of living, Apsara do not consider it amoral or wrong (although, perhaps wrong-headed). There is altruistic side to Tandagam, as giving pleasure is also considered a virtuous thing to do. The-Opalescent-Trident is an easy fit for artistic Apsara, who give the gift of inspiration and beauty to those around them. There is some spiritual credence to this philosophy, as spirits seem to love those Apsara who surround themselves with objects of beauty at all times.

Rajak-Ariman (People-with-Empty-Hearts)

The Rajak-Ariman, like the Seeing-with-Two-Eyes-Closed philosophy, is primarily concerned about cycles of being. However, the Rajak-Ariman have a uniquely morbid fascination with destruction, entropy, and cycle-break. In the eyes of People-with-Empty-Hearts, destruction is at its core a healthy process that leads to new growth and creation. Their mantra, repeated often before throwing objects into the currents of Vathriagni, is “Sacrifice breeds Creation”. Other Apsara, of all modes of thought, universally abhor this philosophy, fearing the destruction it craves. Indeed, Apsara devotees of this school of thought actively seek out sources they perceive as cycle breaking. This is because the Rajak-Ariman believe that Undersea is in a debased state and that greater spiritual truths lie beyond the perception of the physical world. Indeed, the Rajak-Ariman believe that in time all of Undersea will be drained of the sacred Ap and that all things will pass beyond the physical world into a greater state of perfection and nirvana (perhaps to be reborn or perhaps in a state of divine nothingness). Many People-with-Empty-Hearts revere the ancient undisturbed waters of Undersea before the Apsara existed and so they are often portrayed as desiring extinction for all Apsara. This is a straw man argument; the Rajak-Ariman wish the Apsara to evolve beyond physical existence entirely. In many ways, People-with-Empty-Hearts aid the efforts of the Ashwar-Nara since they are constantly discarding well-treated objects into the eye of Vathriagni.